LETTER | GE15 provides a good chance for MIC revival

LETTER | The laudatory statements and praises by past and present national leaders - and even opposition politicians - about the late S Samy Vellu on his demise has inspirited and inspired the crestfallen MIC to face the 15th general election (GE15), scheduled on Nov 19, with renewed vigour.

This can be seen from the strident and vocal statements from party leaders, unlike the muted and defensive comments that usually emanates from the party leadership since BN was ejected out of power in 2018.

Numerous national leaders had sympathised with the plight of the community at his demise, and also commended that the late MIC president had selflessly contributed - despite criticisms from some quarters of his tenure being divisive and not doing enough - for the betterment of Indians.

The government had immediately provided an allocation of RM2 million for poor Indian students, and also transfered the Mitra agency to the Prime Minister’s Department for better supervision.

The timely Deepavali festival, which falls on Oct 24, should be used by the MIC as a rallying and rejuvenation event when people from all walks of life as well as numerous politicians and leaders gather for the party's open house muhibbah celebrations.

The auspicious occasion should be used to herald better times and opportunities for the MIC. Deepavali means light over darkness and it is a good time this year with the impending general elections for the party to clear the hard times that had started enveloping the party when the then president Samy Vellu lost his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat in 2008.

The BN parties are now ready to face GE15, and the 2023 election budget has shown a preview of the benefits in store for diverse groups in the country if the BN wins.

The BN parties have prepared themselves for quite some time in anticipation of the general election and are ready to battle it out. The MIC too is enthusiastic about its prospects and hopes to re-capature the parliamentary seats it lost.

The party has to select capable, competent, and communitarian politicians to win back the support from the Indian community.

The main criticism of the MIC has been that it is not doing enough for the community and that about 40-50 percent still remain very poor and are in need of affirmative action from government policies.

Socio-economic upliftment programmes by way of government allocations, allotments incentives, privileges, self-help schemes, and quotas will benefit them.

It is only through these progressive policies that address the basic causes of Indian poverty can remedial action see a solution to these deprivation.

Solutions for Indian community

Two possible solutions have for long been identified for the Indian community to progress and that is by way of education and involvement in business, both of which are within the capability and competency of the community. Government help and self-help are the twin thrusts needed for the progress of Indians.

The Indian B40 is slowly progressing due to major efforts by the government especially through better-equipped Tamil schools and trained teachers, introduction of a minimum wage that helps low-skilled workers, more public sector jobs, tertiary and technical education loans from PTPTN, scholarships from the public and private sectors, business loans from Tekun, Mitra, and others, as well as the BSH assistance scheme.

The Indian Blueprint formulated by former prime minister Najib Razak needs to be continued and only the BN government has the political will to implement the programmes envisioned in it.

The long term effects of the Indian Blueprint can be carried out only if there is a viable and stable government that is keen to help the community. In tandem with government assistance schemes, the Indian community needs to create self -help programmes and opportunities by pooling their resources to develop SME and industrial/commercial hubs for businesses both big and small.

There is now a sizeable number of people involved in industrial and commercial ventures and they need help for expansion of their business. The MIC and other entities can initiate funding to buy the land for the SME and industrial hubs. The MIC can also initiate investment and trade campaigns to regional and neighbouring countries for joint ventures with local businesspersons.

The richer and better off Indians especially those deriving high incomes or holding top administrative positions need to help their poorer brethren through various ways and means. The MIC had hitherto focussed on building academic and technical tertiary institutions but from now on it needs to concentrate more on commercial and business opportunities for Indians. Now the country has a surplus of tertiary institutions and the MIC can focus on other ideas and needs of Indians.

Now that GE15 has been scheduled on Nov 19 with the prospect of forming a strong stable government, the Indian community can play a major role in this electoral process. The Indians are presently mostly urbanised and now live in mixed racial constituencies where they have a major say in electing candidates and the political parties.

Indians need to realise the political power they have as voters. There may not be any Indian-majority constituencies in the country but the mixed ones offer better electoral prospects.

With an array of political parties in the electoral fray and the fact that the political parties and communities are divided, a united Indian community will have a major say with its swing votes. Indian voters will be decisive in the urban multi-racial constituencies in the west coast states of peninsular Malaysia.

It is the duty of Indian leaders to ensure that the voters get the right positive message during the campaigning period to pick the parties and the government that will help steer the Indian community towards the path of progress and prosperity.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.